Public Campaign

Donate Now
Follow us On:
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Home
  • Fair Facts
  • Get Involved
  • Voter Blog
  • Press Room
  • About Us

First Vote

Submitted by Katie Schlieper on Mon, 01/28/2008 - 19:35

Adonal Foyle, backup center for the Orlando Magic and founder of Democracy Matters, gets to cast his first vote as an American citizen tomorrow in Florida's presidential primary. The Orlando Sentinel talks with him about his path to the states, the importance of voting, and why we have to get big money out of politics.Foyle explains why he has dedicated himself to changing the way we finance our elections:He's always been interested in the political process, but he became engrossed in politics as a student at Colgate University. A few years ago, he founded an organization called "Democracy Matters" -- a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization to get college students and other young people involved in the electoral process. The main platform of Democracy Matters is campaign finance reform. Why campaign finance? It bothers Foyle that the No. 1 issue for legitimate presidential candidates isn't how to stop the war or how to remedy the worldwide oil crisis. He shakes his head. "The first issue," he says, "is always how much money can the candidate raise? If you want to restore hope and trust in government, you have to take the big-money influence out of the equation. There is so much corporate and private money given to the candidates that their policies are directed first and foremost to helping the people who finance their success instead of their constituencies at large."

  • Adonal Foyle
  • campaign finance
  • Democracy Matters

Recent Blog Posts

VIDEO: Fair Elections Rally in NYC
April 10, 2013
Public Campaign President Nick Nyhart was in New York City last week for a Rally for Fair Elections attended by hundreds of activists from around the city. Watch the video below of Nick's...

NYT: Public Financing Required to Fight Corruption
April 9, 2013
The New York Times is out with an editorial today on what reform in Albany must look like in the wake of yet another wave or corruption in New York politics. It's simple: changing Albany and...

Clips Round-up for 4/9/13
April 9, 2013
NYT editorial out this morning responding to the recent scandals in New York: "Of all the proposed reforms, the most critical is to open up elections so that voters have real choices. And that...

Remembering Anne Smedinghoff
April 8, 2013
No doubt many of you read this weekend of the violent death in Afghanistan of a young American foreign service officer, Anne Smedinghoff. Her passing rang an especially sad note for current and...

View All Blog Posts
  • Privacy Policy

Public Campaign

1133 19th Street, NW 9th Floor Washington, DC 20036
  • info@publicampaign.org
  • 202.640.5600
  • 202.640.5601